Ellume COVID-19 Home Test App Reviews

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Terrible app and kit. I used the Ellume COVID home test app and found it to be a frustrating and invasive experience. The fact that I had to download an app in order to use the test kit was unnecessary and time-consuming. Furthermore, the app requested sensitive personal information like my name, age, address, and location, which made me uncomfortable. To make matters worse, the app was glitchy and difficult to use. The kit was missing the resolution, and I had trouble navigating through the different steps. Ultimately, I had to use another test kit that was much easier to use and provided a result in just 5 minutes. In conclusion, I strongly advise against using this app. The invasive data collection and poor user experience make it an unacceptable option for COVID testing. I recommend looking for better alternatives that respect user privacy and provide accurate and easy-to-use testing solutions.

What a horrible solution. The product requires you download their app, put in your private information, and all them to gather that information, which feels completely invasive from the beginning. The instructional video takes an inordinate amount of time, and you cannot use the device without going through all of it. The connectivity via bluetooth is further problematic as it may, or may not connect. You may have to spend time going through a troubleshooting process, you may have to call customer support who will go through ALL of the instructions with you again, despite explaining clearly that you have already gone through all of the instructions and then go through each step to show once again, it isn't working. I had to go through three devices before finally connecting to something. (My phone is a 6 month old iPhone 13 Pro, so it shouldn't be a tech issue). I bought it because it was the only thing available at my local CVS, not knowing of the blue tooth, it's recall issues and poor service. Do not put a bad review on their website as they will make sure it does not post publicly. Nothing like trying to pad your reviews.

The App Works Fine, Have Some Patience. A lot of the reviews for the app have complaints about having to watch a video first. The full review video is not that long and it might seem overly simplistic but users need to remember that for the test to be effective, the instructions need to be accessible to the lowest common denominator. Additionally, while you do have to put in your information, if you read the terms of service and privacy then you’ll see it’s to comply with federal regulations. I don’t know what issues the app might have been having over the summer but as of this review, I encountered zero bugs or issues with it working.

Overpriced, inconvenient, and uncomfortable. This test required I download an unnecessary app, on top of which you have to watch a long instructional video every time you take a test (the video cannot be skipped or sped up no matter how many tests you have taken through the app). None of the info you are forced to provide in the app is saved so you have to fill it out every time, and because of the Bluetooth requirement you can’t move your phone more than 3 inches away from the sensor for the entirety of the experience. The swab itself has to be inserted much farther in your nose than other at-home covid tests I have taken and as such was the most uncomfortable test I have ever had the displeasure of using. I recommend buying literally any at-home covid test EXCEPT this one.

Not bad, but not good. Um, well, I wouldn’t give this app a 1/10, but it needs some fixing. I’m trying to be nice today, but I don’t think this all needs your private information. Like, why address? Are they going to send something to my address? Also, please make the introduction video shorter. I accidentally opened the liquid before the video even started, and I had to charge my phone because it was below 20 percent battery. I had to make another account on another phone and enter every single detail about my private information. We then tested and I don’t know if it’s accurate since it had been like 20 since we opened the liquid and poured it in. To be honest, this kit is very sophisticated, but I think a little too sophisticated. Maybe you could make the people who are testing to do the testing while you give instructions??? Not the most convenient app though. Anyways, if any of y’all end up reading this comment, thanks.

Inaccessible, deliberate growth-hacking. If you’re reading this, it’s too late as you’ve probably realized that you’re forced to download this app in order to use the test. But adding more feedback nonetheless: - Inaccessible. Required downloading the app, filling out personal information, watching an unskippable video, turning on Bluetooth and other settings, etc. Older folks, those most at risk for Covid, are often technologically challenged and this makes the test unusable without help. - Time-consuming. The test essentially renders your phone a useless brick of metal for 20 minutes while you watch the slow and unnecessary video, go through the steps, and are forced to keep the app open for the 15 minutes while waiting for the test result. - Wasteful. The amount of plastic and the single-use Bluetooth device is completely unnecessary. The typical basic tests are much less wasteful and don’t require downloading an app! What a concept! To whichever customer rep reads this, I’m sorry, I know it’s not your fault. But I’m really disappointed to see this blatant growth-hacking at the expense of an accessible product that puts people and their health first.

Shame on the developers of this product. As everyone else has already stated, this “test” is absurd and a scam. Unlike every other rapid Covid test on the market, you will be required to download an app and enter all of your personal information in order to use the kit. Meanwhile the app will doubtless harvest the rest of your personal information as soon as it’s downloaded onto your phone. Then, you’ll be subjected to an unnecessary 10 minute video, take the test, and have to wait an additional mandatory 15 minutes for the results on your phone, when any other non-digital rapid test is able to show results almost instantly. Unfortunately the test’s packaging looks like any other rapid test which I’m sure is by design, so if you’re like me, by the time you read all of the negative reviews it will be too late, since there’s a no-return policy for these tests. Hey Ellume, way to make the world a worse place with your product.

Don’t waste your money. Return the test and get your money back and buy a different brand! These tests were donated by this company to a nonprofit for homeless veterans, and they require a smartphone and they were 1 day past the expiration date and don’t give test results without the app. What kind of company donates expired COVID tests to a nonprofit for homeless vets? This test requires a smart phone and Bluetooth. Very few people experiencing homelessness have phones, yet alone smart phones. It will only give your results through the app. If your test is 1 day past expiration date, it will not give you any results and the test stick does not show the test results. If it registered zero stars, that is what I would give. Shame on you Ellume! I can’t believe you donated tests so close to the expiration date knowing that they could not even be read! What a joke!

More expensive and unnecessary vs other tests. This test was expensive but since it was behind a counter I didn’t realize that the box only contained one test AND I would have to use an app to get my results, which also happens to require some personal information from me. Functionally: the instructional video is helpful and it seems like the swab system would be pretty error free. What I didn’t like is that you give up using your phone for the whole 15 min it takes to wait for the results. If you even move it from one location to another during that time the app will say it can’t connect to the analyzer. Value: not worth the price and additional inconvenience.

This is the worst experience I've ever had on an electronic device.. I don't understand why it's mandatory to watch a video before each test, even though I've tested it many times. I have two kids, so if I wanted to do a test for myself and the kids, I couldn't even do it at the same time. I need to watch the video three times, fill in the information three times, and wait for the results three times, which is almost an hour or more wasted every day. You know what, your phone can't do anything else during this time, you just sit there and wait for it to finish. This is murder, meaningless waste of 25 minutes per test, which means for every 20,000 you sell, you're murdering someone for a year of life. Hopefully no one will buy it again.

Sophisticated piece of electronic waste. Wow, this is one prime examples of over-engineered & wasteful product: * This is a one-time-use product that has Bluetooth chip in it. Like, you use it and then you discard it. Great idea! * Above all, why would you need an electronic test? It's based on the same principle - liquid-solid chromatography - as a simpler non-electronic test kit. I don't need an optical sensor to tell me if there's a second line; * This test takes ridiculous amount of time to do - you need to watch a 5-min video, give some personal information in the app, and then ACTUALLY wait for 15 min until you get the result. Simpler tests usually have a printed instruction you can skim over and the test line starts revealing pretty much right after liquid reaches it, so you get a result in less than 5 min * It gave me the negative result, even though NAAT test told me I was still positive less than 5 hours later. So in additional to being wasteful, difficult to use, it's also inaccurate. * Finally, this joke of a test stops working exactly on the day it is expiring. Like, algorithmically, you cannot use it. Even before the end of the day, LOL. So now I have 10 or so test kits that I'll need to discard as the expire today. In summary, this is a prime example of overcomplicated design that made the actual product much worse. I would never buy one with my own money.

Obscenely wasteful. Whoever designed and authorized the purchase of these tests should be ashamed of themselves. As noted elsewhere, there should be no need to complicate this type of test with electronics. Our government was generous (foolish?) enough to provide these tests for free to us, but because the electronic Bluetooth analyzer refuses to work past an arbitrary expiration date, I have multiple boxes of unused tests that cannot be used since they were bricked by their own manufacturer. There is no choice but to throw them out without them ever being used. The analyzers all contain CR2032 batteries, which are easily removed and I will use elsewhere, but it is unfortunate to think about the thousands of kits where the batteries are used for less than 30 minutes and then thrown away. I think people should choose to use another company’s product instead if possible.

Did we really need Bluetooth Covid tests???. It’s so bad I feel like it’s a joke/social excitement. First of all, $40 for ONE TEST is ridiculous. Other home Covid tests are faster, easier to use, and just as reliable, and you get 2 for $30. I only bought it because it was the only one available at the kiosk at the airport. Secondly it’s horribly inconvenient. After purchasing, you have to download an app, give them personal information, and then wait several minutes for an instructional video. Then they inform you that during the 15 minutes you wait for your results you have to lie your phone down flat right next to the test, which also has to be laid down flat. Given that I purchased this at the airport (and it sounds like many others have as well), that’s not exactly an easy task to do!! We have to move around frequently!! We have to check our phones for updates!! The idea that we needed Bluetooth tech to make a Covid test work baffles me. Why can’t the test just say the answer on the actual test strip? Third, it’s an invasion of privacy. Tell me why you need me to turn on my location, you need me DOB, my home address, and an email address to tell me if I have Covid??? Are you kidding me?? Congrats to the makers of this test and app for being able to profit off of desperate people. I doubt most of the people who purchased this product actually went through with the test because it’s so inconvenient. Be smarter than me. Don’t waste your money.

Worst and most expensive covid test. This test is extremely expensive ($40 for a single test) and provides a worse user experience compared to every other test I have used. It requires Bluetooth to work - it is impossible to take the test or view the result without connecting it to a smartphone. The app forces you to watch a slow video explaining how to take the test before allowing you to take the test. It used dark patterns to try to get you to share location data, which is not actually required for use. And the app tries to get you to leave it open in the foreground during the entire 15 minute test. Overall, this is a terrible product that is a waste of time and money and actively user-hostile. Update: I left a review on the manufacturer’s website and it was moderated (removed). It’s pretty clear from reading the other reviews on the manufacturer’s site that they are paying for fake positive reviews and likely removing most negative reviews to improve their image. Bad product, dishonest company: avoid if at all possible.

Mixed bag. I see a lot of complaints about the video length, and while it isn’t short, it’s not bad. Think about it, that video needs to be understood by anyone who watches it right? So it has to cover everything. Secondly, about the whole app thing. It was pretty seamless to be honest. The whole process was straightforward and the results come in fast enough to not be unreasonable. I’ve heard of people missing parts of their kits, and I noticed that the packaging for the individual parts was unreasonably difficult to open. Finally, about consumer information. This is where I get worried, because most people aren’t security-savvy. Don’t ever put your real information where you don’t have to, but understand that the internet is already full of your information. I don’t like that you HAVE to put your name in and I’m sure they have tracking data that will target you regardless. READ the terms and conditions that you agree to. They are not a joke. I usually put in comedic/nonsensical information in those contact forms which I do not wish to be identified with, but again, companies can easily do this with other information they have. It’s the US’s first major pandemic— overall, not the worst test in the world. More pleasant than the Binax test, but it’s pretty obvious that the app method will work for some while the paper method is preferred by others. I know we need data on Covid, but I don’t like being tracked and would prefer a shorter TOS and an anonymous option.

Incredibly wasteful, whose relative owns this?. Just because there is Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology doesn’t mean you have to use it. I have to download an app, input my personal info(god knows to be sold to whom later) and connect to the sensor while this can be done with a piece of paper showing one bar or two? I wonder whether there is ever a sane person who would willingly pay money to buy one of these. Of course it is sent out for free, which means every tax payer implicitly pay for them while being robbed of part of their hard earned paycheck and some relative of a politician gets an extra jet out of it. Oh also, it would refuse to even run the test when it is presumably expired. So freaking advanced! I’m sure erroneously using an expired test is the biggest concern of someone who just started coughing and having fever!

Poor design. I can see why there are so many negative reviews. I realized in order to track if people have positive test results, it needs to be recorded somewhere. In the App, removes the optional personal data items would make it less invasive in terms of privacy. However, my major complaint is the design. Did whoever design this have actually used it to test it? I found the swap of the test kit very invasive. It irritates my nostrils SO badly. I have to sneeze every time the swap is in my nose and even to a point made me tearing in my eyes. It’s almost impossible to rotate the swap 3 times in each nostril as the irritation made it so difficult. The instruction video or picture makes it looks so easy. But NO, when you used it, it’s not. Also, I’m very concerned about all the packing materials. Non of them are recyclable. It’s so environmentally unfriendly. I received a whole box of 12 of these test kits from the government USPS site. I wish I can exchange them for a different brand of test kits. I looked it up online. They are expensive in the market and yet do not live up the expectations.

Doesn’t work. After downloading the app, submitting my phone address, email and full name, they then allow you to access the instructions. Curious how you must first provide all of your information just to access instructions. No wonder this test kit was free. Next - the testing unit won’t connect to my phone, and The only way to access your test results is through the app. Not only did I give them all of my information but now I have no way to access test results because the testing unit won’t connect to my phone. I am offended by companies like this which try to manipulate you into getting something they want. I threw the test kit away without any information on my actual results. I have not spent the time to write a bad review like this on the App Store but this one was so horrible that I felt compelled.

The rapid covid test no one asked for. Why is it necessary to download an app and enter my personal information for a rapid test? My husband bought this because it was the only one left at the store. I felt horrible so I used it but this test is way more involved than it needs to be. I’m a firm believer in keeping things simple. An annoyingly long set-up video after you download their app and input your personal info (um, super sketchy), then it wouldn’t let me go forward because my phone was less than 20% even while it was plugged in. Then it’s another 15 minutes while it processes. Feels like major technology bloat and waste for a process that other companies have managed to keep simple and much cheaper. Who wants this is struggle when they’re sick and full of brain fog? Anyway, I’m surrounded by Covid positives and have had symptoms since yesterday morning but still returned a negative result.. will retest in 12-14 hours with a standard rapid test tomorrow.

Needs a few tweaks. So the point of the app seems to be to collect location data and age demographic info after a test, which is super useful. BUT, there’s some stuff needs to be changed. This test is less convenient than non-digital/bluetooth tests. I think the test works fine, but there’s a few changes I would recommend so that people will be willing to use the test more: -Either get rid of the video or make it optional to watch. All the testing instructions get repeated a second time after the video anyhow. The video also cant be skipped or fast forwarded, so it just takes more time than it needs to in order to finally get to the test. -Add a red asterisk next to the required info users need to fill in. I keep reading complaints from other users that they need to add a ton of information before taking the test and its not true. The test only requires you to fill in your location, age, and something else (sorry I forgot). There’s a little text in each of the required entries, and I guess people don't get it or notice it. Add a red asterisk next to each entry space users actually need to fill in so its more obvious, or for good measure have a notice at the top of the page that says “Please fill in at least the sections that say ‘required’ “.

Stupid long long videos!. I'm submitting the exact same review I put in 2 days ago since I got a notification that my review had a reply, but when I clicked on the notification there was an error because my review had been deleted. Joke's on you though, Ellume, because Apple saves my review, so when I click on write a review, my old review pops right back up to resubmit. We can do this every day if you want. :) So here's my original review: We're not idiots we don't need step by step walk through instructions in a video to take the stupid test. It's bad enough that you have to download an app and put in personal information, but then you can't even use the test without watching incredibly annoying videos telling you how to use the test, which works exactly like any other covid test that we've all already used more than once before. Such an annoying waste of time! And also, the app has to stay open draining the battery for the duration of the test. The only reason I have this test is because my workplace requires us to either use this test or go to a test location that will provide provable results to them. So stupid.

I love this app. Definitely found the brand that I would like to keep using.. Took my first test with this app yesterday and I love it. Completely accessible for the blind from beginning to end with results that are clearly understood. there were a few issues with the app but nothing that would make it unusable with voiceover. The video you have to listen to is very informative and the steps to take the test are easy to follow. I would definitely recommend it and will keep using it whenever I can.

Takes a little extra time but great. Dreaded the process after seeing the one star review, but after my experience definitely felt the need to give a rating. Yeah, the extra couple minutes to watch the video could be annoying, but no biggie. There doesn’t seem to be a “manual” result, like a pink line or something in the event the app or your phone poops out during the 15 min wait which seems risky with technology and all, but performance was flawless for me. Also, not all the personal info is required FYI.

Horribly in accessible for blind people. I am beyond upset that I asked for the government to provide for me two $40 tests to line the pockets of the test kit company. After feeling that this was very invasive from the start, asking all kinds of information, I double -tapped on my age category because I am using voiceover on my iPhone as a blind person. There was never a play button to be found so that I could listen to the video for instructions. Image recognition was immediately turned on which often makes some apps useless. When I turned off image recognition, I still could not find a play button. And, did I mention that in press releases about this accessible test, there was never a mention of the apps name. I had to use an app to scan paperwork to know what app to download in the first place. I absolutely cannot believe that the app developer has not made this accessible. Did anyone who is blind get to test this useless app out before-hand? I am an experienced iPhone user for over 12 years and think this is just horrible.

Think of how wasteful this is…. Each single use test must include a battery, a bluetooth transmitter and receiver, and an led… as well as whatever “fluorescent detection” technology they claim to use. Compare that with a normal covid test, which really only requires the chemicals that change color when coming into contact with covid antigens… I wouldn’t mind all of this overengineering if it were somehow multi-use, but this much waste for just one use? Really???? Additionally the user experience for this test is just horrible. While the packaging says that you can get your results in 15 minutes, in practice, it takes around 30 to download their app, answer all of their personal questions (including giving your address, name, and email), watch their unnecessarily long video (which is repeated later anyways when they give the steps in text), and finally do their test. When in other tests, the preparation normally only takes around 2-3 minutes, this test somehow managed to overcomplicate things to more than 10 minutes. It’s not like you can use the test unless you download the app anyways, as they don’t provide you the instructions and the app is required to even receive the test results. The test is also known to a high false positive rate, so I think it’s lovely that they’ve reported many false instances of covid to authorities.

Instructions are clear. The process is a little more involved than the other stand-alone tests. But for a person who is a little familiar with reading instructions, the steps are easy to follow. The app is well written and gives relevant information and warnings at each step. Unlike the other typical analog tests that give you a hint as which way the test is going during the 15 minutes wait, for this one, you really have to wait 15 minutes to get the results. The bottom line is that it is much better to use it instead of complaining about little inconveniences.

This app needs tooo much attention. You need to download an app and give out personal information to start the test. Before starting, you have to watch the a video instructions, then break all the packing material to start the testing. There are excessive and unnecessary packaging materials there, which is a waste of money and harmful to the environment. Then you have to wait 15 mins with your cellphone screen staying at the app for the results. You may have to troubleshoot the Bluetooth issues, you may be interrupted by a phone call or message. It tastes much more attention and time to do the tests with this app the kit than the regular ones. I don’t not understand the purpose of making things complicated and wasting the materials here. Sorry but if I could give a 0 star I would do it.

utter and complete garbage. the mandatory data collection, the mandatory video that takes an extra ten minutes of your time especially if you ever dare need to go back two seconds have fun starting from the very beginning. and in the end they didn’t even give me a complete kit. no processing fluid anywhere to be seen. literal actual garbage. UPDATE: at the developer’s behest below i tried to use the support form on their website. not only was it nearly impossible to fill out the fields and press the submit button because the page does not scroll correctly and there is random free form builder ad crap covering up the submit button (ever thought of paying your bills?) but then when i managed to submit it the form ate all my details and landed me on a blank screen. went back, all my input is gone. thanks for wasting EVEN MORE OF MY TIME. you should not be allowed to be a business. then again, neither should the drugstore that sold me this completely irresponsible disaster when all i asked for was “a covid test.”

Deplorable and despicable design. I hope the developers of this test can’t sleep well at night for how horrible of humans they are. Not only can I not see my test results on the stick, but I am required to download an app, provide sensitive informarion, volunteer to be reported to the government if I am positive, and watch multiple videos which I already read the directions for ALL BEFORE I CAN SEE THE RESULTS OF THE TEST. Don’t want to provide your personal medical data? No results. Don’t want to share your location? No results. Already read the directions and want to skip the videos? Not possible. I wish the world gives you every possible karmic justice for this pathetic scam of a test. I hope all the money you make goes to waste. I hope the worst as you have provided me with the worst.

Worst app! Will never use this test again.. First, if you have to use this, it is highly invasive as far as wanting personal information. Put in nonsense and you’re better off. Do not give your email. If you manage to get through it, just take a screenshot of the results. The video that one is forced to watch is pure drudgery. There is no way past it. It is a waste of time. I called requesting a way to print the directions to have along with the app and was told sorry, no can do. The test itself is not a good one. The applicator is quite long, and the instructions state to put it all the way in the nostril until the the applicator holder hits your nose. If I did that, I’d have pierced my nostril. And it might have done so, as the end of the applicator is sharp. All in all, using this Covid at home test was a horrible experience. I recommend neither the test nor the app. There is a reason this has such a low rating.

I rather catch COVID than force to use this app. Pretty neat testing tools but the app is just not user friendly. The app forces you to watch a 5 minute video EVERY SINGLE time you want to take a test. No skipping, not fast forwarding, nothing. The video tells you to NOT to do anything until the video is over because it’ll provide instructions afterwards. The first step is to connect the analyzer to the phone but once you connect the analyzer to your phone, it instantly starts to analyze the sample so you have to basically rush to get your sample into the device. Where were the instructions mentioned in the video? Just make step by step instructions that allow the users to hit next to move on to the next step and have the final step be connecting the analyzer. This app makes absolutely no sense and could be done so much better. It’s a chore just taking this test alone that I rather just use the old ones with the dropper and the test result strip.

Do not buy!. Horrible product and app. You cannot use this test without spending $30, downloading an app, giving your name, address, birthday, email, allowing location services, connecting to Bluetooth, turning on notifications, watching 10 minutes of video, pairing the test and putting together an IKEA equivalent of a medical device. My results are invalid and I need to contact customer service. Of course, their offices are currently closed. Ellume review response received. Customer service responded to me two days after I messaged them. Per customer service, I would need to spend $30 more on a new test and retake. No refund! Instead, I took a government issued Covid test that my relative had. Received a negative result in 15 min. No app, no video, no Bluetooth, no location services, no speakerphone calls, no personal/medical info, $30 cost and no complicated product assembly required.

Terrible product, terrible company.. What an absolute joke of a of a company that claims to provide a necessary service to its customers. Normal covid tests are nowhere near the price of the outrageous and unnecessary price of $40 that is charged for Ellume. For such a high price you would expect quality, but it is the exact opposite. Upon opening the package and waiting through a long and unnecessary instruction video, there was no fluid to use. The instructions and boxing promises a fluid to help produce accurate test results. However, my box contained nothing of the sort. After searching through the packaging, there was no sign of the fluid. $40 wasted as I had already opened the package to take my test. No refund could be given. A company that prices a covid test at $40 should make sure that they are providing what they say they are. An absolute joke of a company and I will make sure to tell everyone I know to not buy the poor product that Ellume scams consumers with. No pharmacy should allow this in their stores.

If you’re reading this, it’s too late.. CVS is not supposed to allow returns on COVID tests, but this was a special circumstance. After considerable time setting up, I connected my phone to the analyzer (ugh) and received an error message saying the analyzer had expired and my test was invalid. I tried again and it told me the analyzer could not be “re-used.” Mind you I had not swabbed or anything at this point. Thankfully, the CVS manager was able to refund the expired product with some loophole magic and they showed me three other testing products which were MUCH cheaper and didn’t involve downloading an app or divulging personal information to some faceless company. If you’re reading this and you work for Ellume, I want you to know that there is a better life for you and you don’t have to dig us deeper into dystopia to support yourself.

Hoped the reviews were exaggerated . . NOPE. I have taken numerous COVID-19 tests under different brands. Not one failed to deliver a credible result UNTIL NOW. I perform all tests, every time, EXACTLY in the correct manner. This time? “INVALID RESULT THERE WAS A TECHNICAL PROBLEM.” Thus despite my having used a PERFECTLY LEVEL TESTING SURFACE (verified by iPhone surface level app), and having allowed NO CONTAMINATION, and applying SCRUPULOUS ATTENTION TO DETAIL overall, including with the swab positioning & movement, plus having paired the unit with my fully charged iPhone 12 Pro Max giving top Bluetooth signal strength, with the testing unit only a couple of MILLIMETERS AWAY . . . So, it’s just money down the drain, and I see ZERO REASON TO TRUST THUS COMPANY with my personal info to get a replacement . . . of a test I would never consider using again anyway, or even giving to someone else !!! I will simply inform the local CVS staff that the product turned out to be garbage, and chalk it up to a costly, and nearly worthless, learning experience. IMHO . . . DO. NOT. BUY. EVEN IF IT’s THE LAST ONE IN THE STORE, GO TO ANOTHER STORE WHERE YOU CAN BUY A DIFFERENT BRAND OF TEST. Seriously . . the little stripes that appear on the stick of a standard test are plenty readable enough, with no need for this GIMMICKRY, GOUGING & GARBAGE !!!

Very inaccurate results. Do not use!. We got these tests mailed to us via USPS. Everyone in my house except for myself has Covid. Doing tests this morning on myself and 3 kids. and my test came out negative which is accurate. My oldest tested positive which was accurate. I tested my two other children (who are both positive for Covid) But both came back negative on the ellume COVID-19 test. so we did it again making sure the tests were done 100 percent how they are supposed to be done. And again both came back negative. So I gave them both 2 different brands of tests and all came back very dark positive results. so not only does the app after going through the long testing process, talk about how there is many false positives at least 37 out of 100 tests are false positives. It also doesn’t tell you when you do have covid. These should not be used to determine if you have covid 19!

Appalling. Bottom line here is that this company forces you to download their app in order to use and get results from this product that you’ve already purchased - for waaayyy more money than any other test. If you haven’t already bought it DON’T!! But since you’re here, you probably already have. You can find videos with instructions online with some searching but you still need the app to get your results. That’s right - they hold your results hostage to get you to download their app. It’s as if I bought a test from a 12 year old. So, if you’ve bought the test already go ahead and download the app, put in fake info and do NOT include an email address (that’s what I did) and take the test. Delete the app when done. Does it work? I guess so. But then I would also guess that all those other tests that actually provide instructions and don’t ask for personal info to get results work too. Appalling.

The worst product I’ve ever tried!. Reviews for this product are useless because if your downloading the app, and seeing the reviews, you’ve likely already bought this garbage product. Unnecessarily cumbersome, incredibly intrusive and unreliable. As a doctor I’ve used dozens of COVID tests from different companies, all without a complaint. This product forces you to download an app and Bluetooth the test to your phone in order to get your results. No option to perform the test without the app. The test I purchased would never connect! Complete waste of money and time. Additionally, had it connected and worked properly it required a lot of personal information, including my email, to receive the results. And the company says in it’s paperwork that it will share your results with the public health authorities, local, state and federal. No option to keep your results private despite the high incidence of false positives associated with this test. Any other home test that gives immediate results without an app can be done completely anonymously. This is overreach, over-engineered and over priced. Quite possibly the worst product I’ve ever purchased. ZERO stars

Free tests. We got these tests for free but it seems like a big waste of materials compared to the original orange and white tests we would get. Each box only has one and comes with a lot of packaging waste and the boxes are huge. We were sent 15, and with so many big boxes, they’re difficult to store somewhere. But I won’t complain about that too much since they were free and a lot of these reviews mention paying $40 for each box. I didn’t mind the videos. It needs to be accessible for everyone, including those who may be older and need the extra guidance. I didn’t like that it asked for so much personal information, which I didn’t know some of it was even optional until I read these reviews. While the Bluetooth option is kind of annoying to deal with, I didn’t have trouble connecting (iPhone pro max) and I appreciate that we’re given the option to have a form sent to our email about our test results. I had a situation last year where an employer was a bit suspicious with home kits and the validity of submitting them for your time off (in case you got pictures from friends or pulled off the internet), so this feels a bit more formal and professional. I can see it running better with those who need paperwork. I mostly docked off a star because of the information thing and for how big the boxes are, but I really had a good experience overall since they were free for us.

Price can’t be justified. The meager benefits of the app are heavily outweighed by the ludicrous price of $40 for a single test. The only reason I bought it was because I was desperate and it was the last available at my CVS. When I asked how many were in the box, the cashier got it wrong and said there were two, because the only indication that there is a single test is a tiny “1x testing kit” on the very bottom left on the box’s front. The app itself is fine, although the video is a slog. There’s a lot of information it asks for that it doesn’t need, and while it doesn’t require you to give that information, customers would be less angry if you made it clearer such info isn’t required. Better yet, remove all the optional response fields and leave only the necessary ones. That would certainly streamline the already horrible experience of having to take a covid test. In my opinion, this is a classic example of smartphone technology being used to solve a problem that has NO NEED for smartphone technology. Save yourself $10-$20 and skip out on this one. Plus, since it’s single use, a whole bluetooth chip is wasted.

From 1 Star Review to 5 Star Review. I feel greatly embarrassed to have given 1 star review last night, due to the app crashing. Today morning there was a App update, I feel the developers must have figured out that people has iOS 16 and they needed to fix the bug. I was shocked to see many 1 star reviews with so many negative and demotivating comments. I understand the frustration, I was there too. Looking from the developers point of view this must be pulling them down. Anyway my revision not in anyway emotional, I am speaking straight from my renewed experience of the product. The product was easy to use and definitely more times one uses the simple and easy it feels. I still agree with some reviews which talked about long video to watch, let the user be the one to decide and take responsibility by agreeing to not watch a video again and again. I wish the developers the best and thank you for the quick turn out to update the App.

App and test kit worked as advertised. Not sure why so many others have left low reviews and negative statements, but I’m betting a good fraction of them weren’t the fault of Ellume or the physical test kit but rather user error. Had no issues launching the app, or connecting to the analyzer via bluetooth provided in the physical test kit. Followed instructions slowly and carefully, making sure to wash and sanitize my hands prior to handling the test kit components. Waited 15 minutes after adding the processing fluid (mixed with the nasal swab sample) via the dropper, and received a negative result.

False negative 3 times in a row. As the title indicates. I recently got covid. After about 5 days, I tested using this kit because this was the only one available at home. Despite the painstakingly long process of setting up and everything, it gave me a negative result the night of the day before yesterday. I tested using this brand again yesterday night and today morning, it all came back negative. Mind you, I used very exquisite and proper techniques, carefully following instructions. Tonight, I went home and tested again using a standard covid test kit, and it gave me a positive result with a faint second band!!!!! Yeah, with these stupid kits only giving you “negative” or “positive” conclusions on your phone, you have NO WAY of telling how much viral load you have, and they EASILY MISREAD your results. DO NOT TRUST!

Best most accurate at home test by far. I’ve tried almost all of the over the counter at home tests and this one is by far the best and most accurate. I got really sick and i took another at home test and it said negative tried this one and it said positive which made me be able to take the proper precautions to stay away from family and friends. This test makes sure to go far enough back to get an accurate reading, that’s probably the best part is it gives you a point to go to unlike the other tests. And the instructions are so easy to understand, it gives you step my step video on how to do it. Simple and easy. I think the most annoying part that i dislike is every time I take it i have to rewatch the video every single time, but it’s worth it for an accurate reading. I don’t know why it has such bad reviews. I have had zero issues with using this, anyone unable to use this product must be really bad at following directions.

Simple, Quick, Non-Invasive Don’t listen to 1 star. I don’t know why people say the info you have to give is invasive. It’s pretty typical if you were going to a doctor to get a medical test done they’re going to ask for you name lol. Test took 20 minutes total. Got my results, with options to email them to whoever needed them for work. I’d say this is much better than long wait times at Hospitals, being swabbed by some nurse trying to touch your brain, and waiting 2-3 days for results. This test beats that experience by a long shot. Sorry so many people rate this 1 star, I don’t get it.

TRASH!!!!!. If I could give this test no stars I would. I picked this up thinking it was just a simple swab test. I was a little bit disappointed to see that it was electronic, but didn’t think it would be that hard to set everything up to actually perform the test. Wrong!! To start off, the app kept freezing when I tried to put in my information. I also worked on setting up the Bluetooth connector for about 30 minutes. The device took an incredibly long time to show. When it finally did. I could not get a solid connection. The connection timed out multiple times. I double checked my wifi as well to make sure. That wasn’t the issue. So I wasn’t even able to actually take to test. Talk about over complicating something that should be so simple.

False Positive-Unreliable-Personal Data Invasive. I took a test before visiting my in-law who had health issues relating to a brain stroke and was recovering. I wanted to make sure I didn’t have Covid so I bought the test from a Rite aid in Philadelphia. Not only the test took a ridiculous amount to set up, which included providing sensitive personal data (name, age, phone number, home address), but it showed a false positive that prompted the NYS Department of Health to contact me requesting I should isolate. I didn’t have one Covid symptom, my family including my toddler with whom I share a lot of close, cheek-to-cheek interactions, and my husband didn’t have Covid. I took two other rapid tests the same day, each from a different brand, and they showed a negative result. I also had to visit a pharmacist to perform yet another test that also showed a negative result. The FDA website already has information about the brand recalling its tests because of false positives in 2021. I guess they didn’t recall all of them. The rating on here is a shocking 1 star which people should take seriously. They are completely unreliable, they take a ridiculous amount to perform, and you’ll end up providing sensitive information about yourself. Not to mention you’re “throwing money out the window,” and causing unnecessary load of mess with the State department of Health.

Return the product and buy a test that doesn’t require an app. If you’re reading this turn back and return the test ASAP. It’s a waste of time and money. The app requires personal info for you to proceed to an unskippable video. By the time you download the app, fake your personal information, and slog through the video you could have the results of any other test on the market. And god forbid you want to rewind this unskippable video to watch a step again, takes you back to the beginning and it forces you to start over again. Requiring a smartphone app to get the results of a health test should be a crime. There are plenty of people that don’t have access to or can’t use smartphones. Screw the product team behind this product. I’m avoiding CVS in the future because of this.

Worst idea ever!. If I could give a negative star, I would! This is a typical example of how to execute an easy idea in a very complicated way! I have been using quick test kits for two years and tried different brands. All of them came in different packages and tools but the basic test process was the same. Easy and quick. But not this one! It requires an app which means that if you do not own a cell phone, then you cannot do the test! It also means that now if you want to do the test for the whole family, you have to do it one by one because the test kit needs to be connected to Bluetooth the whole time. How stupid is that!!!! I saw some reviewers say that the app collects tons of personal information. And the developer responded by saying only certain types of information was required but the rest was optional. Well, they designed the app in such a way that they did not explicitly tell you that you do not have to enter every information. Interestingly, they do bother to create a pop up window and ask you if you are sure that you do not want to enter your email address. To me, the goal to collect and sell your data to third party is written all over their faces. I cannot imagine that someone can make a quick test kit so complicated that it is not longer quick any more!!!!

Dumbest thing ever!. Hey Ellume, this review is directly from me to you. As an entrepreneur I totally get your gimmick. But are you dumb or you think I am dumb? Not only is this the most complicated COVID test to setup (which is completely unnecessary, imagine if a pregnancy test was so complicated i would have never wanted to get pregnant!!!!), the dumbest part was I had to watch your stupid video every single time I took a test!!! You think I’m so dumb that I couldn’t remember the video process from a few hours ago when I took the first test??? Also not to mention the results are inaccurate proven by a PCR test at a local clinic. Anyways I’m shocked you are still in business! You really shouldn’t continue as a “gong concern” (check with a CPA or an investment banker if you don’t know what this means). Honest advice, you should dissolve the business and dedicate your limited resources elsewhere. Good riddance!

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So awful I had to write a review. I have never felt the need to write a review for an app before. The good apps aren’t good enough for praise and the bad apps aren’t bad enough for criticism. But this app/process is the worst I’ve ever seen. If I asked a a group of people who have no medical experience and no app development experience to make an app for COVID testing, they would most definitely do a better job. This app does have some utility though. If there is ever a future pandemic, the experts will be able to study this and learn the worst way to test for a sickness. I wish I had positive recommendations instead of just critiques, but my advice would be discontinuing the app and start from square one.

stupid app. what is the purpose of making a 1 minute yes or no Covid test, into a multi step authentication process by downloading an app, signing up making an account, filling in name date of birth address email etc, taking my location, using Bluetooth, and forcing me to watch a 10 minute instructional video?? Absolutely outrageous 🤬🤬 Edit: you have to repeat everything I just typed everytime you want to test again. the least you can do is remove the initial video. Why even put a video there if the app takes you through a step by step process when you actually run the test anyways

Anybody used this app more than once would give it zero star. Used this app a few times, I found the app truly wastes people’s time. Every time you would have to watch the same video again, absolutely no way to go to step by step direction directly. If so, what is the point to have step by step instructions. And now the app is telling me I have to charge my phone over 20%. Funny thing is, the phone is even on a charger. Funnier, while waiting to charge to 20%, phone went into sleep and the app, you guessed it, restarted and I have to restart the whole video watching process. What a genius! On another note, Which genius in the government made the decision to procure this products…?

Worthless. It has no written instructions. You have to fill out personal info on the app. Then it plays a video on setting up the test. You can pause but can’t back up to repeat what you missed. Then you have to start all over again and re-enter your info. Finally it will play the test instructions. It goes too quickly so you have to be quick on the pause or you have to start all over again. I had to start over three times. In the end, the test reader wouldn’t connect to my iPhone bluetooth. (It’s the only way you can get results. ). So the whole thing was a waste of time and money. Very disappointed.

break open the test when you're done. Pry the test open to look at the result with your own eyes + harvest the little battery for your small devices. I've been exposed a couple times in the last week and have been regularly testing-- these tests keep telling me I'm negative. Saw from another reviewer that you should break open the test to look at the strip yourself because a faint line is also positive! Lo and behold, just saw a faint line that the test didn't recognize. Also hate that I have to rewatch the video with every test. Technology should not overcomplicate something so simple. I get that the govt wants to be able to track transmission like this but it's a bad solution, only half works.

App is disrespectful of your time and privacy. Annoyingly poorly designed app. Awful. Makes you enter your data each time you want to use the app. Also it doesn’t let you skip entering personal info even though there is no reason the data is required. Next it makes you watch the same long video each time you use app with no way to skip it. Piece of junk app that matches the questionable accuracy of their test. Waste of tax payer money spent on this. I hope the government never does any more business with this company that sells such low quality products.

Terrible Product. This is literally one of the worst products I have ever purchased. It is 2-4 times more expensive than other COVID tests. Then it requires you to watch a video before doing the test. There is no way to rewind the video, so if you miss a part of it, you have to go all the way back to the beginning. Then I went to actually use the test (after watching the ridiculous video), and it there was no fluid in the test kit (so it did not work). Plus the app REQUIRES you to enter your own personal information to take the test - and gives no indication (except buried in the terms of use somewhere) where that information is going. This app combines a completely pedantic approach with mind-boggling stupidity to devastating effect…

Piece of crap. Was desperate for a test and it was the only brand available at my local pharmacy. $30 "on sale" originally $50 for ONE TEST. Test requires you to download an app that REQUIRES your name, age, email, and location as well as bluetooth. They make you watch a painful 5 min video telling you how to use the kit just for them to go over the steps again when you actually do the test. After doing the test they require you to keep the app open for the bluetooth on your phone to connect and "read" your results. 15 min later and after following the steps correctly, I received an ERROR!! Invalid result. I have never gotten an invalid result with simple covid tests. What a waste of money. There's no way to tell if it was the test or my sampling since theres no lines on the test you can look at. Awful product. I'm not surprised since it's a simple covid test that requires your CELLPHONE and bluetooth as well as your full name, location, and birthday to tell you a simple + for positive or - for negative. They're probably selling my information on the black market as you read this.

Worse COVID test and Worse app experience!!. If I did not get this for free from USPS, I would not have purchase this my self. 1) you need to download the app to use it 2) you need to enter your personal information such as location, name, dob, and email every time you try a new test 3) you need to watch a lengthy instruction video every time you test… why isn’t there an option to skip? 4) further step by step instruction after the video… do you think I’m stupid and can’t follow directions? 5) you need to wait 15 minutes while having your iPhone turn on for the result, could you just send the results to iPhone after 15 minutes??? 6) I can not do multiple test at once for different family members, each test would take 30 + minutes each time, what a waste of life I have never written any reviews in the AppStore but I feel infuriated about the extremely poor customer experience . Do the app or product managers of this product actually use this product before rolling out to the market ???

This test (and the requirement to us an app) is trash. This is, by far, the worst app experience I’ve ever had. The fact that this app requests ALL your private information and then still may or may not connect to your Bluetooth (I have an iPhone 13 pro, so compatibility shouldn’t be an issue) is supremely frustrating. I tried to use this test this morning before going to work after my family all got COVID. I ended up throwing it in the trash because 30 minutes later the thing STILL wouldn’t connect via Bluetooth. If you have these tests and expect to use them, just throw them in the trash and save yourself the hassle.

Invalid test result. Invalid test result. Wasting money. Unnecessary complicated but does not work well. Update: After my review, the customer service left me a message suggesting that I reach out to them. I contacted customer service, and they told me that they can provide a replacement, but a refund is not possible. As a result, I have to spend time to respond their email in order to get the replacement of the faulty Covid test, which I’m skeptical about it’s effectiveness. And frankly I do not need it any more as I have already returned to work. So I wasted money!!!! It should be “0” star not even “1” star

Needs improvement. I’m glad to get an accessible test I don’t have to look for lines on since I’m legally blind, but the app must be the MVP in Agile terms. How can they expect that you get multiple tests when you order through the government program that you’d want to put your info in every time and rewatch the video? How do they release an app like a user will only use one test? You waste so much time when you do subsequent tests that I’m almost about to go back to the old style that’s not accessible and find someone to read the lines. At least the iHealth app, which isn’t perfect either, lets me store my info.

Missing pieces and did not work. After paying a significant amount moreFor this high technology product, I am very disappointed in the result. To start when I opened up the package it was missing the swab. Luckily I have extra Covid swab sticks available. After waiting to watch a mandatory video that delays your ability to do the test I completed the test as directed and waited 15 minutes only to receive an invalid result. Will not be purchasing this product again and suggest future customers go with the low tech easy to use option of the standard COVID-19 at home tests

Slower than getting 5 normal take home tests. Broken product that barely connects to phone, and takes longer than necessary to use. Clear example of a product that is allowed to be terrible because they received a government contract (dad of dumb creator probably knows someone high up) and don’t actually need to make a good product. Late stage capitalism is ruining the world and this app is a clear indicator of the decline of American civilization. I hate apple for allowing this on their App Store and I wish a terrible day to everyone involved in the creation of this awful app.

Brain dead design decisions. This app seems to have been made by a person or team who had little to no foresight for, or review of, the actual product experience. Other reviews have it right: it is ridiculous in the first place that this product requires an app at all. The multiple technological bells and whistles serve only to make the product more cumbersome, give unnecessary access to digital data collection, and to justify an inflated retail price. This is a prime example of why the profit motive and medicine do not mix. I will never buy an Ellume brand product again.

Absolute garbage - in some ways literally. Horrible product in so many ways. In short, it is awful for the environment and for users, with no redeeming qualities beyond cheaper, simpler tests. 1. Test kit that works with this app is over complicated and is a massive waste of resources. I cannot believe that in 2022, a company can in good conscience sell a *single use* Bluetooth electronic device that will put heavy metals and other toxins in a landfill, when other companies have figured out test kits that need nothing more than a paper card to show your results. 2. App is unbelievably obnoxious. It asks you to enter all kinds of personal data before you can begin. You can’t skip through the very long and useless video. While waiting for results you can’t use or even move your phone for 15 minutes. What were Ellume thinking?? Ellume, stop selling this trash. What your team clearly thought was fancy and cutting edge is actually wasteful, invasive, and overly complicated with no benefit.

Wish there is a ZERO star rating available. This is my first apple app review ever. I hate i am doing this but the stupid design of the user experience of using the app just make make me annoy so much. Watch the instruction Vedic again and again is another offensive designed following put in personal information. Most of people who used the test kit wants to get results ASAP, but first the poor design of the app will just let you watching their stupid instruction video again and there is no skip button provided. Second, you have to wait entire 15 mins without interrupt the app to get your test results. It takes me more than an hour to get my whole family to get all tests whic is a huge waste of time.

Clunky and out of date.. You have to download the app and watch a painfully long video before entering all of your info to begin the test. Then the Bluetooth connection failed and had to start the whole process again. Got Bluetooth to connect only to get a message can’t test, out of date. My fault for not checking the extremely small print on the box and trying to interpret what that actually meant. Reached out to customer support to get brushed off, nothing they can do. $40 down the toilet. There are much better home test kits out there.

People read and listen. Look I know the test can be hard to use for some(probably one of the easier test I have taken and I do a lot of them) to all of you people who complain and state that it’s taking all your info and giving it out, have you tried clicking the GIANT SKIP BUTTON. You do not have to put anything into this app but if you’re under or over 13. Get your facts straight before you bash a company’s name. They’re trying their hardest

Terrible. Don’t use this.. I have taken about 4 or 5 different brands at about 20 different times. This is the worst COVID test I have ever taken. You have to download an app and enter a lot of personal information for no benefit to yourself. The app in itself is pretty terrible too. It forces you to watch a super slow video that has no scrubber and no way to speed it up. After the whole process it ended up giving me an “Invalid Test Result” and telling me to use another test to try again. Any other test you could ever get for COVID is guaranteed to be much much better.

Probably the worst Covid test on the market. The fact that there is no possible way to do the test without a phone with bluetooth is already a horrible idea. It makes you watch an entire video with instructions with no way to skip the video even if you’ve already taken a test before, just to repeat the instructions after the video. Apart from that the device would not even connect to my phone and I wasted probably about 5-10 minutes waiting for the thing to connect and It wouldn’t so I just gave up.

Not the just the worst Covid test, one of the worst products I’ve ever used. What an amazing way to take something as simple and analog as a Covid test, and screw it up exponentially by adding idiotic electronic requirements. A Bluetooth testing stick, when a simple reagent will do? Sure, why not? Oh, you try to connect it, and the bluetooth stick is expired? Sure why not? I have to watch a 10 minute video when most Covid tests’ usage can be explained by simple pictures, like an IKEA instruction booklet? Sure, sounds great. More e-waste, For absolutely no conceivable reason? Sounds great. This is not just the worst Covid test on the market, it is one of the worst products I’ve ever seen, or tried to use. You get one test for $30. Absurd. It is exponentially more complicated than good Covid tests. If I could give it negative stars, I would. If this is all they have at your local pharmacy, find a different pharmacy. I now I have to drive around to try to find useful Covid tests that actually work for my sick 6 year old. Thank you so much for making such an absolutely garbage product.

Worst ever app. If I can give a zero, I will give a zero star!! This is really annoying and dangerous for a high fever patient to spend this stupid long time to watch the instruction video and fill in private information again and again, but still cannot connect to the Bluetooth to get a simple result. This is also a tremendous waste of resources and money, this one-time tester is embedded with tech and Bluetooth device, but we just cannot use it; even we can, after seeing the result, we will throw it away. Very disappointed and I hope the government never issues this product for covid testing!

False negatives by design. This is the worst product in concept and execution that I’ve used for a long time. The design of the test device hides the test strip inside an opaque plastic case where a photosensor is supposed to detect if there’s a positive test line or not. The problem is thst newer COVID variants generally produce a weaker line on rapid antigen tests than the variants that were circulating when this device came on the market. Guidelines for reading normal COVID tests universally state that a faint “test” line means a positive result. The Ellume system ignores this. The app showed a negative result when I used the test, but when I opened the plastic case to look at the test strip, it very clearly had a faint positive test line (next to the darker control line). This product should not be on the market.

Return the Test if you Can. If you have the chance to return the test before opening it, do so. It won’t work without the app, won’t let you start taking your test without watching a stupid video, and then still gives you step-by-step instructions, so the unskippable video’s completely pointless. They try to gather highly personal info (your full name and address) for “contact tracing” but we all know it’s really just data mining. I’ve read in other reviews that the Bluetooth doesn’t reliably connect, either, although I didn’t have any issues with that.

Invasive, expensive, and misleading. First of all-you do not need all of this data to give a test result. It’s blatant data mining and I won’t participate. Second-considering the other brands are $23 for TWO tests, this one test is nearly 4 times more expensive than other brands. And third-the fact you put on the box that it is for ages 2 and up, with the 2 quite large and in the same spot that other boxes will put the number of tests…it is misleading because it’s meant to look like there are 2 tests when there clearly are not. It looks like this is nothing more than a double cash grab-one on the price of the test itself; and the other on the personal data you sell on the other end.

Worst at-home Covid test I’ve ever used. I never leave reviews but I’m so upset with my experience that I needed to leave one. I downloaded this app. I followed the long instructions (which you cannot rewind or fast forward). The instructions said to short hold the power button on the Bluetooth tester until the lights flash slowly. Then the app said to long-hold the button until the light flashes quicker. It immediately went to the results and said the results were “Invalid.” Keep in mind I haven’t put any drops into the tester yet. When I tried to start over, it said this tester was already used and to use a new one. TLDR: Don’t waste your money.

Way to much. First off to have to download a app for a covid test is dumb and a waste of money, time, development. If they threw that time into making the test better maybe it wouldn't have a disclaimer in the manual on how likely it is to get a false reading. Also I have to basically tell everyone not to blow up my phone so the app doesn’t freak out and end the test prematurely. 15 minutes you can’t use your phone, move your phone. Just massively inconvenient. If I had know the terrible false reading percentage I would have gone with another brand that didn’t make me jump throw hoops to give a simple yes or no answer.

This is ridiculous. First, I don’t know why a COVID test need a app…. This is ridiculous… if you have too much money.. please hire someone to fix the road in front of my house…. Don’t need to hire a software engineer….. Second, this app let you watch the video again again and again…. God….can you just remember the setting? I have to be honest that I never write a app review before… but this one really drive me crazy. I have to say that you spend money on something that is useless…. I would appreciate if you could donate that to someone that needs those money…. I would rate 0 star but there is no 0 star option

So inconvenient!. This is an extremely horrible COVID-19 test. Firstly, you have to download an app, connect to Bluetooth, enable location tracking, etc., making it insanely complicated to use. You cannot begin if your phone has less than 20% battery, and I received an invalid test result because of a “technical issue”. The app asks for personal information without clearly specifying what it will use it for. There is a long video that you have to watch with no way to skip it making it a giant waste of time if you have multiple tests to run but not multiple devices. And a single test kit is a whopping $40. Save your money and buy a better, more practical COVID-19 test kit.

Absurd.. Ridiculous that a customer needs to download this app, provide personal information, enable location services AND Bluetooth just to take a COVID test. Additionally there is an unnecessarily long video you are required to watch before you can enable the Bluetooth to take the test. And according to KVUE this is the same company that had a mass recall done for inaccurate results. No. Just no. If you have the good fortune to read this review before purchasing the product then put it back on the shelf and pick another brand. I will also post this review on their website but I’m betting they’ll delete it.

No issues. Instructions video was clear. Had no issues conducting the test. Yes you have to provide your personal information but I have no issue with that especially with the amount of apps have my personal information already. Result was accurate - compared to another at home test. Had no issues with the app. No complaints.

Horrible misapplication of technology. I agree with firstmatty review. I got 24 of these and the remaining 23 are going into the trash Issues: 1) they ask for very specific personal information when configuring the app. Their response to firstmatty was only certain items were required. Well then ONLY ask for the required info, most folks will fill out what’s asked and these guys know that !! It’s an invasion of privacy. 2) other kits used are simple, sortof like a pregnancy test…. This misuse of technology is simply unforgivable. Forcing users to share their results by having technoloqy automatically record and send data is inexcusable. At a very minimum EACH & EVERY instance of sending data should come with a Approve button for the user. 3). The test module is completely enclosed so you get zero indication as how the test is progressing until the very last second of the 15 minutes. 4) the video might be great for a new user, but come on, let me skip to the test. It’s all repeated during the test steps anyway. Another misuse of technology just because it’s there.

It’s fine - just a normal test why all the drama?. It’s annoying to have to download the app but once you do it’s fine. It’s weird there are so many 1 star reviews I guess people really hate tying the test to an app. You don’t have to put in any real info. I put in fake birthdate. Did not give email. It just needs state and zip and you can put in whatever. Test is easy to perform. Not sure what all the drama is about

Zero stars. I would give this zero stars if possible, potentially the worst design ever. Why on earth would they make a Bluetooth enabled test that you must keep within 3 Inches of the test for the entire time while you wait!! You cannot move the test, so now I’m stuck here in a room with someone who may have COVID. It’s far better to have an old fashioned test you can simply set and return to. Why do I need the blue tooth functionality if I cannot even step away from the test with my phone? I can freaking see it 3 inches away, I don’t need Bluetooth for that. What a waste of money. What happens if your phone dies because you cannot get to a charger?!?!?!?

The government personnel should be held accountable for purchasing such bad product. First of all, the kit requires app to run, the only reason for this is probably to ask user register their information so that the company may sell the patients information with no cost. Because this step is required before launching the software. I don’t understand how the U.S. government will allow this to happen. Secondly, the software UI is very bad and it won’t allow me to subtmit a review afterwards because I cannot click on “I am not a robot” button to proceed. As a bio scientist who use different kits for more than 10 years, this kit itself is well made. However, the app makes it a game stopper.

Worst COVID Test for ALL Reasons. First, this test requires that you have a smart phone because the analyzer uses bluetooth to connect to your device. Not only this, but you have to get their app and give away a lot of your personal information so they can sell your data and make more money. This test is also a tragic waste of resources. I feel so bad throwing out an entire piece of hardware (the bluetooth analyzer) after a single use. The egregious amount of plastic in the packaging hurts to see, too. This is, by 2 marathons, the worst designed COVID test for every single reason. If you see this review before buying the test, don't buy it.

Worst test kit ever. Wasting time and money. This is my very first App review for past ten years. First of all, you have to download a app to get started, and watch an extremely long tutorial that you cannot skip, even afterward they provide step by step instruction. Then it asked your personal info to getting start. I paid 40 dollars already and you still need my info to use the kit. I don’t understand the logic. What bugging me the most is that you have to remain the app open for 15 mins to get the result. Imagine sitting in the car and staring at the timer for 15 mins without using your phone. It’s the longest 15 mins in my life. I JUST DON’T SEE WHY A SELF-TESTING KIT HAS TO GO THROUGH ALL THAT. All you need is a cotton swab and test paper to get your result. Yet, they made it through Bluetooth through your phone and somehow developed an app that you have to remained open for the timer to count down. Perhaps such unnecessary features give you confidences to charge a lot more than a good traditional test kit? This product deserve 0 star and getting kicked out of the market Pro: Absolutely no pro Con: time and money wasting.

RIDICULOUSLY COMPLICATED. I’ve taken dozens upon dozens of home COVID tests since this all began and this one is hands down THE most pointlessly complicated. First, you MUST download an app—that alone is a dealbreaker. Then they want your name, address, phone number, date of birth and email. Then they force you to listen to a video before you can take the test. Then you have to leave the “analyzer” connected to your phone by Bluetooth for 15 minutes as it “analyzes” your results and WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE ON YOUR PHONE. If I didn’t get a box of these free from the state there’s no way I’d ever use this one again. A huge fail.

Overly complicated, wasteful & unreliable. This test is hyper complicated: you have to download their proprietary app before you can even get at the instructions which entail connecting their DISPOSABLE, Bluetooth enabled “analyser” to your smart phone, which is a step that I couldn’t get past. Nothing showed up in my Bluetooth. No test should be this limited and complicated. What if you don’t have a smart phone? Why not allow results to just show up on the device itself? This thing - along with the battery embedded inside of it - is now in the trash and we have to start over.

Dumbest, most invasive Covid test around. What a waste of money.. I hate that I have to give even one star for this. This is a classic case of developers ignoring the question “just because we can, does it mean we should?” Should we have developed a Covid test via an app that requires users to input their traceable personal information and use digital test kits that take 15 minutes to use and require a Bluetooth connection? Absolutely not. I bought this because it was the only remaining type of test at the drugstore. I spent 15 minutes inputting my info and watching the mandatory video only to get to the first step where I was told that the test device was out of date and could not complete a test. What an absolute waste.

Not bad if you follow the steps. I have read reviews where people complain about this test but if you read the screens, it tells you upfront you don’t need to fill out the private data. I just hit skip. They could have too. Also, the test was more accurate than others I’ve used. Got positive result with full symptoms.

App works fine. Maybe there was a recent patch that improved app functionality, but I had none of the issues other folks had. You don’t have to give any personal data you don’t feel comfortable with. Just touch “skip”. And the video was five minutes, you can opt out of watching it, stop complaining. Only negative is the packaging is that it’s a bit pricey. Other than that, it’s a good, clear test method.

Would Give a 0 if I could. 100% waste of $25! The device wouldn’t pair with my phone nor with other phones in the house I tried which means the whole thing was a bust. There’s no way to get results without this stupid tech they’ve made central to this test. ** Do not buy this kit. Get one of the simpler ones that doesn’t have useless and unnecessary Bluetooth tech ** I only grabbed this one because I wasn’t feeling well and it was the first one I saw + I thought all tests were similar (my first time at the rodeo). Lesson learned: they are not created equal. And of course CVS won’t give $ back for covid tests.

Expensive Garbage. I see my original review was deleted… hmmmm, I’ll gladly make another one to tell people what a pile of garbage this test is. How anyone designing this test could think that the whole app, connecting by Bluetooth and collecting peoples information is easier, more convenient and preferable to a test that doesn’t require all that is beyond me. The packaging doesn’t let you know all of this either. I’ve never been so angry at a product in my life. I will NEVER buy again. Oh yeah, I made up the info they require to use the test. I’d recommend doing the same.

Stupid device. Each time you have to watch the complete video to start a new test. The system ask for your information but save nothing, so each time you have to input information again and again. I tried drop enough drops according to the instructions, and waited for 15 min, and the app finally showed me that not enough material to show the result. What a time waste system, since We don’t usually need 15 min to see the result using other test kits. But this device keep you waiting for 15 min. 15 min in the morning is very tight, and make us frustrated.

The stupidest test kit. I have used 4-5 different test kits and this is the stupidest. You can’t use the kit if you don’t have a smart phone with Bluetooth. It requires you to install the app and the only instruction is available in the app. No written or online instructions available. It can’t display the results itself and it has to use the phone. The product is plain discriminative. I can’t think any one would think this is a product as everything it does it prevents you to use it. I got this for free. I am very disappointed that government actually spent tax dollars on such trash. There is no zero star and this one is not worth even one star.

Horribly over engineered. Do you like rewatching the same video every time you like a test? Then this app is for you. Enjoying your time being wasted as you watch the video without speed or skip options, only to go through a step by step guide after. Next, take a 15 minute break as you won’t really be able to use your phone while for some reason this Bluetooth test interprets the results because we’re so incompetent we cannot read two lines correctly. The developer is clearly out of touch and in denial based on their replies and of course the low low low rating.

Ridiculous. I’m only enduring the use of this app and its testing kit because it’s “free” (although it costed tax payers’ money). I have to go though the lengthy instruction video very time. It does not provide a slip option even for the same person who takes the tests again and again. Also my phone is basically unusable while waiting for the counting down. I’m also not happy how (and why?) it collects so much personal information? Even though most fields are optional, I have to go through a lot of typing before I can start the test. Oh wait, there is the non-shippable instruction video in between!

The enemy of Covid testing everywhere. This app single-handedly frustrated me out of testing to see if I have covid19. It feels like it was designed by a Cro-Magnon who lacks all context for how humans behave and feel. Get rid of the invasive questionnaire and the absurd requests to access system features. There is no reason for it. No other Covid rapid test does that. They just give you an analysis kit and it’s up to you to decide if you want to tell anyone. Ellume is not my doctor, not my local health authority, not accountable to anyone or anything, it’s a faceless biotech startup whose mouth relentlessly drools for personal information that can be used to sell targeted advertisements. No doubt in violation of GDPR. Apple should ban the app from the App Store today.